Press releases are the lifeblood of a Communications/Marketing/Public Affairs Department. You should be writing them often and writing them effectively. Though necessary, press releases often get shuffled to the bottom of the priority list, overshadowed in a busy department by the websites and brochures demanded by various divisions.
Lazzaro Designs’ writers offer a budget-conscious program to clients to generate frequent press releases that are designed to get mentions in local media and get the attention of key community players.
Infographics present complex information and raise awareness about specific messages quickly and clearly using brief copy and arresting, but simple visuals. They can be used to illuminate, for instance, the impact of donor dollars, or a program’s influence on a community, or quality assessment results, or simply illustrate a medical procedure in an engaging way as this recent Flodin/Lazzaro infographic did when it marketed a minimally-invasive surgical procedure for those suffering with persistent GERD.
Infographics are often used on websites or in social media efforts, such as Pinterest or Facebook, but we have also used them effectively on posters, handouts, and in other traditional print materials.
> If you need to create an infographic or guidance on how to effectively use them, give Lazzaro Designs a call or shoot us an email.
The good, old trifold. These pamphlets slip as comfortably into an acrylic brochure holder as it does into a business-size envelope or a handbag. There are many reasons to return to this perennial favorite beyond easy distribution; trifolds are budget-conscious choices that impart information in an easy-to-read manner.
One of our favorite solutions for complex programs that target several different audiences is to create a trifold series. The Louis Armstrong Center for Music & Medicine at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, for instance, offered different sets of services to three distinct audiences: musicians and performing artists, adults with COPD and heart disease, and kids and teens with asthma. A single capabilities brochure would be expensive and not appeal to two-thirds of the audience at any given time. A single trifold would not be big enough to cover all its programs. Instead, we produced three stunning trifolds, one for each patient group, distinct, but clearly of the same family.
Strong employee communication and recognition programs increase productivity and help to create a corporate culture of pride and, in turn, promote customer/patient satisfaction. Beyond the obvious employee newsletter, there are other cost-effective ways to positively reach out and applaud your staff. For instance, we designed birthday cards for one client where employees’ children and grandchildren provided the art. The cards were snail-mailed to employee homes in the appropriate months. In the clutter of digital communication, a real birthday card was an appreciated surprise.
There are ways, too, to freshen the old standbys. We have enlivened employee newsletters with regular, well-received features, such as one that acknowledges personal accomplishments or a wellness corner that addresses employee concerns. For a remarkably diverse community hospital, we initiated a “Where We’re From” column, which focused every month on a different ethnic group’s culture, holidays and food. For an extended-care facility, the employee newsletter spotlighted two employees every month with engaging profiles and portrait shots.
We have also worked with Human Resources to generate excitement around existing employee-of-the-month programs. Among our successful recommendations: Giving a prime/free parking spot during the month the winner is acknowledged, a pizza party in the winner’s department when the employee is announced, and, of course, a mention in the newsletter.
> If you need help with employee outreach, give Lazzaro Designs a call or shoot us an email.
